This conference will give researchers the opportunity to showcase current and ongoing work based on Understanding Society biomarker, genetics and epigenetics data. Work in progress is welcome and there will be plenty of opportunities during the conference for feedback and discussion. Conference registration will open on 15 October 2018. A call for abstracts is now open and closes on 1 October 2018. See link for more details.
Are you interested in incorporating epigenetic data in your analyses? In this course, we will introduce epigenetic terms relevant to social science, the data available in Understanding Society, procedures to access these data and provide a worked example of the use of epigenetic data in a social science framework.
This half day workshop will consist of an introductory presentation on epigenetics, focussing on DNA methylation, followed by an overview of the data that are available in Understanding Society. We will then illustrate and conduct a simple analysis in R using data from Understanding Society in a computer practical session.
Understanding Society facilitates exciting and innovative research about the UK’s society, including research into the relevance of neighbourhood and place for individual and societal wellbeing. In this introductory course, participants will gain skills in thinking about exciting research questions around “neighbourhoods” that can be addressed using Understanding Society and are equipped with the basic tool that are involved in answering them. How much neighbourhood social capital is there in Britain and what are its individual, household and neighbourhood level correlates? How has neighbourhood social cohesion changed over time, and how does this matter? Participants will learn to navigate the studies’ extensive online resources to identify relevant study content and undertake some basic types of cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses in Stata. The course is open to early career and postgraduate researchers from all disciplines and policy fields.
Understanding Society collects information about individuals and the households in which they live repeatedly at one year intervals. It includes new and innovative features to allow research across different social science disciplines. To achieve the main goals of this multipurpose survey Understanding Society has a complex sample design and consequently a complex data structure. Thus, analysing the data requires a good understanding of the general structure of the survey, the sample design and the data.This course is aimed at new users of Understanding Society, as well as those who have so far only made use of simpler aspects of the data. It aims to guide the user through the complexities of using this data for cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis, and ensure that they can make effective use of the data for their own research projects.
Understanding Society, the UK Household Longitudinal Study, is hosting a timely debate to discuss the unfolding momentum on gender equality. New evidence using Understanding Society reveals the impact of part time working on pay, how parenthood shapes gender role attitudes towards employment, and the effects of divorce on gender differences in housing futures. There will also be a poster session enabling delegates to engage with researchers on specific topics.
This event will present new research on the links between housing, health and wellbeing. A huge increase in the number of people are now living in rented accommodation, so could the associated insecurities and stresses have a detrimental effect on their health and wellbeing? Researchers will present three new studies looking into the impact of housing situations on the lives of Generation Rent. A panel of leading experts and thinkers will discuss the findings and the implications for policy and practice.
Over 15 million people in Europe live in precarious housing and over a quarter of UK children are growing up in private rented accommodation. This event will discuss new research on life for the renting generation and how this impacts on their health and wellbeing. Experts will talk about what can be done to improve policies and practice, alongside new evidence that shines a bright light on the reality of renting.
More than a quarter of UK children are growing up in rented accommodation and that figure looks set to rise. Housing policies are in the spotlight. But what is it like to live as Generation Rent - what are the implications for health and wellbeing? New evidence from the ESRC Research Centre on Micro-Social Change shines a bright light on the realities of rented living and asks the experts to consider how policy and practice change could bring improvements to millions of lives.
As part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science, we take a look at ways to turn the basic income concept into a practical scheme.
The idea of a basic income is becoming increasingly popular both within and outside the UK. It is a policy with many variants which includes components that are relevant for both moderate and radical reforms.
This event aims to illustrate ways to turn the basic income concept into a practical scheme, with emphasis on a revenue-neutral implementation.
Invited speakers will present recent research related to the estimated fiscal and distributional effects of the implementation of such schemes and the mechanisms that drive these results.
Examples of relevant research include Atkinson et al. (2017), Browne and Immervoll (2017) and Torry (2017).
The presentations will be followed by a roundtable discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of a revenue-neutral basic income introduction.
What is the evidence that insecure housing can impact on health and wellbeing - MiSoC event discusses new research as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science
Debate event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science asks how can employers make a much bigger difference to gender equality? Can equality at work be acheived without equality in the home? What does a gender perspective on social security reveal and what are the effects of Universal Credit for women on low income?
New NHS Scotland report tests policy ideas using our tax-benefit microsimulation model to see the potential impact on premature death rates and other health inequalities
‘Toward a New Social Contract : Taking on Distributional Tensions in Europe and Central Asia’ proposes three overall policy principles to help address rising inequality and increased vulnerability in society
This event will address the changing composition and dynamics of migration, refugee flows, and integration in the UK, and discuss the human face of Brexit for immigrants in the UK as well as British emigrants abroad. The day will consist of three thematic panels focusing on the migration-integration nexus from different angles at the dawn of Brexit. The workshop will provide the space for participants to exchange views on contemporary challenges on migration before, during, and after the Brexit referendum. The event will conclude with an art exhibit and wine reception.
Using our tax benefit microsimulation model EUROMOD to provide policy makers with new estimates of 2017 poverty and income inequality levels in European countries
Experts discuss the latest research findings at our open Westminster event on 5 November and consider how or whether the increasingly popular idea of a universal basic income could help reduce poverty and increase living standards
Dr Angus Holford explains his new research to audiences as part of a prestigious panel discussion at the New Statesman fringe events at the Labour and Conservative conferences
New study using biomarkers and socio-economic data, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, suggests that the ageing process may be affected by circumstances in our youth
Showcasing current and ongoing work based on biomarker, genetics and epigenetics data from Understanding Society, the UK Household Panel Study, in London on 6 December
New spin-off models based on EUROMOD, our tax-benefit microsimulation model developed at Essex, are informing effective policies to combat poverty in developing countries
New briefing by Professor of Public Policy, Susan Harkness, shows that changes in female employment have helped to mitigate
the trend of rising income inequality, but in families where the mother is the sole
breadwinner the risk of poverty is high
The review provides an insight into some of our new research, including the impacts of both racial harassment and housing on mental health, university drop-out rates, gaps in UK pay and infertility and genetics.
